Town Books

As assistant director of the Mathews Memorial Library, I have made sure the Milford-Haven novels have been entered into our collection and they are now circulating. Patrons have enjoyed reading this series and we look forward to Mara Purl's next installment!

Milford-Haven is my new favorite place, and it's filled with my new best friends!

I read Mara Purl's What The Heart Knows at one sitting, and there appears to be no end to her talent. Her verbal imagery is very effective, and she draws her readers into the story easily. Good work!

I loved Mara Purl's "What The Heart Knows"! It was engrossing and terrific! How long do we have to wait for book two?

I have just read "What The Heart Knows" with great enjoyment. All Mara Purl's characters are vivid and each one is memorable. Although there are a lot of them, there's no confusing them. She has excellent control of each one and scatters her hints and clues which I look forward to having explained/ expanded upon as the series continues. This writer is well on her way to giving Danielle Steel a run for her money!

How could Amazon.com post such a scornful, personal review of a literary work? I live in the neighborhood where Willie Perdomo was raised and he is definitely not a disgrace to his people and his neighborhood. If I had a nickel for every time I heard a young and old Puerto Rican or African-American man or woman say they read his book and were affected, I would be rich. And now he is making contributions to children's literature with a new picture book called VISITING LANGSTON. People from all communities respect Willie and what he stands for. I buy this book regularly for people who live in our inner cities and need a witness. Please, the next time someone tries to post any kind of vicious attack on an author and his work, please refer to them to a therapist. Next thing you know he'll have a rabbit boiling in his kitchen. TCB

I have to agree with some of the others. Willie Perdomo is a gifted and talented voice. I recommend that people who buy this go ahead and buy Smoking Lovely. The combination of the two is very powerful

A couple of years back, a friend of mine gave me a grocery bag full of books. I found an exquisite piece of work beneath the pile - Where a Nickel Costs a Dime. I live down south - way south and life here can be homogenous. With this book, I saw el barrio without leaving mine. I walked up 125th street without moving my feet. I cried, lived and died in Harlem. The collection of images is sharp. I won't compare Willie Perdomo to anyone else. No se puede. (He can't be.)

Where a Nickel Costs a Dime - a must.

I wrote an earlier note on this under a different account but just wanted to add to that under this new account. I first came across Willie and his work live at SOB's back in 1996, right before this book was published. I'd been to a couple of poetry slams at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and enjoyed them but hearing Willie was the first time poetry ever really connected for me. I FELT what Willie was saying - related to it like he was one of my boys - but at the same time realized that THIS WAS POETRY! It was a revelation for me as a fledgling writer looking for my own voice and, as a more established writer these days, I can honestly say that that is the most you can hope for from your writing - to touch someone deeply. Buy this book now!

I love the poems in this book, particularly one called "Postcards of El Barrio".

Favorite line : the violent revolutions of red and white police sirens upset the sky blue peace of neon crucifixions

These poems have a rhythm and a style than can only come from years of being exposed to life in the mean streets of El Barrio. So be aware, you'll need an inner city bent to fully appreciate the language in this book. But, there is no denying the lyricism in its pages.

As for the performance CD included, it's not bad, but it feels like Perdomo is reading it at a break-neck pace. It makes it tough to sit back and appreciate his words.

All in all, this is a great book. Worth the money.

Great book when teaching the alphabet, students can see that letters are not just in the classroom but also in real life.

Cool alphabet book. I didn't even realize that the illustrations were paintings and not photographs until I read some reviews! Encourages kids' imaginations, encourages them to notice their surroundings, gives an opening for a geography/history lesson or an opening for an art discussion -- all kinds of uses including the most important one of all - simple enjoyment.

Reading these exciting words: "The paintings for this book were created with pastels, watercolors, gouache and charcoal on hot pressed watercolor paper" I feel a deep urge to take a plunge into doing art. Luckily we can see "it" everywhere, not just New York City.

Stephen Johnson dedicates "ALPHABET CITY" to his parents "for their constant belief in me and my art." Besides instilling confidence & joy, they must also have helped their son develop a sense of color & texture, humor and even x-ray vision! Now he has his first Caldecott award.

This is a joy-filled book. Children spontaneously shout the letters but also share their own made-up stories as they see beneath the surface of the paints. "M" is a favorite of mine, and "W" and "Y" (and on & on!). Who could choose a better image than the "A" of sawhorses to lead to "Z"? Sometimes obvious, and other times subtle, the contrasts in color and season are lovely and great fun. Many eyes will open much wider after experiencing "Alphabet City."

Reviewer mcHAIKU is crazy about art AND this book.

How successful an alphabet book is relies entirely on how well it conveys the alphabet to children. Sometimes books of this nature are so wrapped up in their own cleverness (like the wearily look-at-me-aren't-I-a-visual-delight, "Graphic Alphabet" by David Pelletier) that they forget who alphabet books are supposed to be FOR. Now "Alphabet City" is clever too. No question of that. But what Stephen T. Johnson has done here is whip up a book that inner city kids will immediately recognize and cling to. How many alphabet collections are there out there that form letters out of pastoral or countryside setting? Plenty. Johnson turns the idea on its head with near photo-realistic paintings of recognizable city objects and places.

In his forward to the book, Johnson explains that the roots of this project are based in his own love of the, "particular energy one senses in the people, sounds, and structures, old and new, that constitute a city". While out for a stroll on day, he found he could find letters in the most basic city structures, like fire-escapes and sawhorses. "Alphabet City" is the result. Each letter, always a capital, is presented as part of the environment around it. So the aforementioned sawhorse is the very first picture, with kids being able to readily recognize the "A" hidden in its crossbeams. No letter is going to be immediately easy to find. Johnson doesn't outline them in darker paints or even necessarily point them out in any way. The "R" hidden in leaf covered cobblestones is evident if sneaky. He also cheats a little here and there to get just the right shape. To find the "C" in the cathedral's beautiful window, a late afternoon shadow covers part of the circle. By and large, however, Johnson executes an extraordinarily clever conjunction of images. I would have thought it near impossible to find a "Q" in the city, but the wheel well of a stationary train proved me wrong. Johnson also flits back and forth between different kinds of light and shadow. You'll find yourself quite taken with his mysterious and towering "T", or the snow-covered bench that provides an "O". It makes for perhaps the most interactive alphabetic picture book out there.

This book does work on the premise that the children reading it already recognize the alphabet as it stands. How hard would it have been for Johnson to have place a large black letter in the corner of each page, allowing kids the chance to learn as well as explore? If you're a four-year-old and can't remember if "Q" comes before or after "R", this book will be no help to you. That said, for those kids already familiar with the shapes in this collection, "Alphabet City" can become a game in their off hours. They can walk down the street pointing out the letters they see in their own neighborhoods. Some pictures admittedly feel like Johnson is cheating. He obviously could have located an "L" anywhere, but did he have to make it so difficult for the readers by constructing such a convoluted image? Try flipping randomly to some of the pages and see whether or not you can figure out what letter you're on. Betcha bottom dollar you don't guess "F" or "G".

I complain, but only because I love. Truth be told, "Alphabet City" blew me away. There are all kinds of seasons here and a true love for city living that rings true. Johnson has a keen eye for the beauty inherent in urban living. Rust and peeling paint and moldering iron and missing tilework all combine into truly beautiful portraits. The alphabet has never been done so eclectically. Alphabet books with a designer bent always leave me a touch cold, but "Alphabet City" is different. Like its sequel, "City By Numbers" it's original and lovingly rendered. Consider pairing it with "Achoo Bang Crash" by Ross MacDonald and "New York, New York: The Big Apple From A to Z" by Laura Krauss Melmed for a truly urban and urbane alphabetic threesome.

Stephen T. Johnson's Caldecott Honor Book (1996) Alphabet City is a wordless book depicting paintings of scenes from urban life cleverly depict each of the letters of the alphabet. Each letter (and painting) has its own page, such as an "E" in a side view of a traffic light, an "M" in the arches of the Brooklyn Bridge, an "R" in the cracks in the sidewalk, and a "T" in the negative space between two tall buildings. The paintings are photo-realistic in style and view scenes from a variety of unique vantage points, some showing an entire landscape while others focus on a small detail. The large size of the book and the high-quality glossy paper display the paintings to full effect. Children who have newly learned their letters will enjoy showing off by spotting the letters "hidden" in the everyday settings and will likely begin spotting more letters in their own surroundings. There is a secondary message in this book about the prominence of language in our daily lives and that we are surrounded by letters and language.

Former Disney artist Bill Peet brings a Disney-like feel to his books, especially this one which features a great story about what one wishes for and what one sometimes winds up with. The drawings are works of art, and the story gives parents a chance to talk about railroads and wishes. No robots, no monsters, no computers, just a gentle story and fabulous art.

Another of my family's all time favorites. This story is filled with so much excitement and adventure. It is a sheer joy to read out loud. The illustrations are timeless and stunning in detail and humor. This book along with all Mr. Peet's others should be compulsorily stocked on every household's bookshelf!

Great artwork combined with a good story makes this an all time favorite and makes Katy a hero. All of my kids (especially my boys) loved this book. There are always big smiles when I finish reading how "Katy did."

The Author Bill Peet has the gift to spark the imagination of all children. His stories are amazing. There are over 30 kids books by him and I recommend them all!The Caboose Who Got Loose (Sandpiper Books)

This is a children's book with a complete plot, in rhyming prose, like no other! It deserves to be a classic on every American boys list. Featuring a caboose that transforms above regretting her role, and then obtains her ideal. With a full double-page drawing of like say 10 workers rehabilitating a locomotive! How could it get better than that! Warning: my 2 year old Thomas-lover won't let us put him to bed without reading this book, too. 2nd Warning: the same 2-year-old is petrified of the picture of the searchlight shining on the moose on the second to last page. He makes me try to skip that page. Something about the expression of a moose in the headlights that bothers him, I suppose.

Mr. Crawford has done us all a great service by crafting a wonderfully readable book that beautifully blends vision and practicality. The reference model for Carfree Cities proposed in this meticulously considered work could quite possibly be the blueprint for reviving not only the art of building but the art of living itself.

There is no better time to consider the building of a car free city than now, and this is one of the best books out there on the topic. Many people believe that a high density living environment translates into a loss of freedome and personal space. We think of tall sky scrapers thousands of feet high to accomodate high density living and we associate that with stress and other negative factors. The author shows how by living in a little more dense environment, and building better public transit systems we can actually experience more freedom, not less freedom in a high density environment. Comparisons between LA and Venice, Italy help tell the story. A must read if you are interested in this topic.

Crawford does an excellent job of opening up your mind to the possibilities of a world without cars. He takes a very close examination of two polar opposites Los Angeles, CA and Venice, Italy. He explores the ways cities have been built, and how they could be built. I particularly like that he draws up what a model car free city coul look like,even suggestions on where the first carfree city could be built. Many books out there talk about the destruction that has come along with an automobile dependent world. Crawford tells us how we could possibly escape it. Down Low Glow Lighting Kit - Two Tubes-Envy(green)Down Low Glow Lighting Kit - Two Tubes - Plush(red)

There is a very desirable lifestyle possible between that of urban tenement slum and suburban car slum, and this book charts the way. The future lies in high-density habitation surrounded by very low-density green space. Walking, biking,a nd public transport will be the prime movers, not cars.

More than half of the world's petrol sources have already been exhausted, and now, with rapidly industrializing countries with huge populations like China and India, demand and competition for petrol will skyrocket and accordingly prices will too. This is one of the three bases that Crawford sets for the radical revisioning of global city planning to abandon autocentric tendencies, and perhaps the most persuasive. The two others, that auto-use is destroying the Earth and that car-free developments, like Venice and very old sectors of European cities, are intrinsically more beautiful and livable areas, are both valid and convincing. But recent economic realities, as is currently being evidenced in global oil prices, perhaps serve to allow the reader to actually consider the feasability and necessity of abandonining continued suburbanization, rather than just relegating the thought as a utopian but impractical solution.

This book was written in 2000, but the predictions made regarding economic necesities are still valid and the book does not feel dated in the slightest bit. It was a joy to read - the author quite clearly wasn't an English major but the style he utilized - straight-forward and casual, in conjunction with many visual examples - is consistent with his overall vision of the carfree city: efficient, user-friendly, and pretty. At some parts the book is a little dry, but these stem from the specific topic of discussion (like freight transportation, which is very thoroughly conceieved) and are not indicative of the greater whole of the book. One of the more memorable sections of this book compares the strip malls and highways of Los Angeles against the vendors, stores, canals, and alleys of Venice - it perfectly demonstrates the ridiculous and sadistically-hilarious sacrifices we have made to live in our "car-dependent jungle." A little history of how we got to where we are is also included. Things don't have to be the way they are - and with new and pressing economic realities, they're not going to be able to for long either. Here's a fabulous concept for revisioning our cities.

Sent Murder in the Movies to a friend. Bob Skillen wrote: "I loved Esther Lutrell's book, Thank You !!!!!

This is a well-plotted and skillfully-paced novel from someone who knows the movie business from the inside. Luttrell, a former Hollywood executive, sets her protagonist in the middle of a murder, and then keeps us guessing right to the last few pages. Her protagonist is easy to like, and much more a real person than most mystery heroes or heroines. Katlin Wallace makes mistakes, gets thumped, bleeds, damages her wardrobe, and still manages to find the evildoer in the nick of time. Satisfying and fun, a good book to curl up with on a rainy day. Recommended.

Normally the nose is in some tech manual or writing one. Seldom is there a book that provides an easy read with interest, detail, and colorful characters. Live in Florida travel thru and to LA frequently. With little knowledge of either location the reader can relate to Katlin Wallace as she travels about. The characters are honest people you meet through a life time of living. Enjoyable read for the logical thinker.

I recognized accurate detail after detail in this pageturner mystery set in the Hollywood, California area. I felt like I was personally there as the storyline carried me through twists and turns of scenery as well as plot lines. I was fooled by the surprise ending -- and can highly recommend this as an entertaining read.

Katlin Wallace knows the film business and the highways and delis of the Southern California movie-metroplex. Her story is told with such vibrancy and intimacy that I felt like the author plopped me into the passenger seats of Kate's rental cars to experience with her this blur of action and noshing. I can't wait for Kate's next adventure. This is a solid and witty romp of a book. My ultimate compliment to Ms. Luttrell: I wish I had written it.

Too bad this one is out of print. It's the best of the Karma Wilson's I've read so far. The usual rhymes and illustrations you expect from her are there. But it's also funny and lively. I'd recommend for any kid 2-6

Our family enjoys this simple little (short) book with a play on words. Wonderful illustrations, good for 2-5 year olds.

We have several of Karma Wilson's books and this one is one of her best. My 6 1/2 year old son isn't a reader and it is tough to find books that he enjoys, but he loves this book. We take turns acting out different sections and doing funny voices for the different characters. My 2 year old daughter asks for it too and I find myself reading it over and over to them. My favorite part is that I enjoy reading it over and over again. It is very cute and very fun!

My nephew has several of the "Bear" books but for his 4th birthday I thought I would try something different. He loved this one! It got big laughs the first time through but I knew it was a hit when the next day after having it read to him many times he started pretending he was on a "Cattle Drive!"

Delightful experience for child and adult reader. The illustrations add to the fun.

This book was pure DRAMA. Just like I like it. Is a fast read and makes you hate some of the characters. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading other books by this author.

THIS BOOK WAS FIRE IN I MEAN THAT IN A GOOD WAY.IT WAS THE BOMB FROM START TO FINISH YOU WILL NOT PUT HIS BOOK DOWN FOR A MINUTE SO GO OUT AND GET.

This was the first book I have ever read from this author and I must say I was impressed..If you havent read this book take my advice and get it. U won't be disappointed. I read this book in less than 24 hours even at work I just couldn't put this book down..Im kinda upset about the ending but overall this book was off the hook..

I just finished reading this book, and I must say it has the total package. If you like drama, sex, murder, and suspense this is the book for you. The character Mya was also a total nutcase, but I loved every minute of it. Talk of the Town is a real page turner, and you won't be disappointed.

THIS BOOK HAD A AWESOME STORY LINE,I COULDN'T TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM IT. IT TO ME WAS A LITTLE CORNY AND OVER DONE. I KNOW I'M GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN HERE( AS FAR AS OTHER REVIEWERS),BUT I WAS NOT IMPRESSED!!! THIS IS MY EXAMPLE OF WHEN A FEMALE WRITES A BOOK, AND OVERPLAYS THE FEMALE MAIN CHARACTERS ROLE (MYA)!! I MEAN GIVE ME A BREAK,IT JUST WASN'T FEASIBLE TO ME,I KNOW IT WAS FICTION, BUT GIVE ME A BREAK,SHE KILL'D FOR DUMB S***, AND WANTED TO BE RESPECTED AS A GANGSTRESS!!!PLEASE!!NEVER EVEN THOUGHT OUT HER ACTION ALWAYS IMPULSE(FOOLISH),CONTRADICTING HER REASON FOR BETRAYAL!!!

Reader Beware! If you open this book to look for a recipe, make sure you have the rest of the day to spend reading. It will draw you in like your favorite Novel and soon you will be cooking in Hell's Backbone Grill. It should be first on your gift list for anyone you know who cooks, reads or eats.

I am so inspired by what Jen, Blake, and the community of Boulder have done together. The spirit of inclusiveness and respect has so many rewards. Their gratitude and love for what they're doing is evident in every story told on these pages. I purchased two extra books to give as gifts to women who long to produce the foods we eat, who love food and cooking and providing great meals for the people we love.

I love this book. I love this restaurant. The book is excellent for cooking containing numerous great dishes but the real charm is the story of the restaurant and colorful staff and locals. Skillfull writing and delicious recipes complete the package. Great gift idea

i first heard about hell's backbone from the mighty foods blog. since i was in the process of planning a trip to the southwest, i knew i had to visit this restaurant. it is in such a beautiful place; boulder utah, in the grand staircase escalante national monument. the restaurant is truly special, with a wonderful ambiance and of course lovingly prepared, delicious, local, seasonal food. of course i took home a copy of the book and have been enjoying it every since. you will not be disappointed! if you ever get the chance, visit hell's backbone and experience the lovely food and environment first hand.

This book does contain recipes, and they are very good. But it is much more than a cookbook. It is a meditation on food as a manifestation of place, of values, of mindful living... I cannot read this book without glimpsing the transformative power of right intention. It is really the story of how two remakable people built a community out of little more than their vision and their commitment to rightness. It documents grace through the story of a rural restaurant, and achieves a sort of modest scriptural value in the process, humble but beautiful, and worth reading.

I recommend this book highly. Read it with a chocolate-chile cream pot in hand.

Spoon-fed news by large media corps, few were aware that Winona LaDuke ran for the vice presidency under Ralph Nader in the 2000 elections. Even fewer know that she is also a Native American eco-philosopher with a critical perspective on the health and future prosperity of America. All Our Relations is particularly instructive, in that LaDuke surveys the entire American landscape (and by landscape, I am not merely referring to the political landscape), showing the deep connections that exist between local cultures, their environments, and the corporate-governmental giants that often compromise their health. Although LaDuke has specifically focused on Native American communities, the stories are engaging and instructive for Americans in general. Informative, powerful, and transformative, LaDuke here provides an antidote for our increasing alienation from the land and biota that sustain us. A must read for any conscious American.

ALL OUR RELATIONS by Indigenous Activist Winona LaDuke is a must read for everyone who cares about our earth. LaDuke presents the state of the environment focusing on several land, treaty rights and toxic exposure struggles on reservations across North America and in Hawaii. Since I met Winona when she was an economics student at Harvard, she has been at the heart of struggles and gains made by indigenous communities, always bringing a keen intellect, diligent research, unswerving commitment, and a broad vision of the whole circle to community and tribal issues.
Because I've known many of the people involved in the essential work LaDuke describes in ALL OUR RELATIONS, it was a personal pleasure to read this book and catch up with what Susannah Santos and her cousins are doing on the Columbia River, be updated on Luana Busby and Melani Trask and the Hawaiian indigenous movement and to get the inside details of the complex political fight Winona's son's father and his people are up aqainst at St. James Bay. But this book will fascinate anyone who cares about our earth, families and communities. It is one to read from end to end, then keep around to re-read again and again.
LaDuke calls the work these tribal communities do to protect their people and landbase from pollution and corporate greed, "soul-retrieval." It is work that we all need to do whatever our ethnic background, since as LaDuke's reportage on the presence of PCBs in mother's breastmilk in the Northeast attests, everyone is affected by what we are doing to the earth. Winona is a mother who has no illusions about how the choices we make as consumers affect the earth and our communities' health. What is most inpiring about LaDuke's writing and life is that she offers solutions. Each chapter not only outlines the problem, but it talks about solutions that are being implemented and suggests others that should be employed. Winona walks her talk. LaDuke has been a strong proponent of wind energy and has worked to engage major corporations like Ben & Jerry in developing wind energy projects on Indian Reservations in South Dakota. Native Harvest and White Earth Land Recovery Project have reclaimed White Earth land and developed sustainable reservation businesses that employ and train White Earth tribal members. Winona LaDuke would be a great President because she is the only public figure who has a sensible plan for economic self-sufficiency, the clarity to explain it to the American people, and the discipline and steadfastness to enact it.

If I could, I would thank Winonah LaDuke in person for writing such an important, informative and engaging book on the travesty that is the North American government's view of native land and those who inhabit it. The numerous tribes who make the land their home are forced to co-exist with the insensitive, selfish and literally toxic decisions made by government and corporations who dump tons upon tons of toxic pesticides in their water and on "abandoned" land. These lands are also subject to divebombings from military jets. These are illegal decibel levels that drive those within hearing range to points of mental instability, as well as potential hearing loss.

One of the most important quotes from this book that I remember (since I read this book a couple of years ago in a Native/African-American Women's Studies course) was from a Seminole leader who said, "Selling your land for a price is like selling a piece of your mother." [I paraphrase this.] I couldn't agree more. When I remember that quote, I think about all of the animals, vegetation and tribes (consisting of families and friends) who have lived off of the land of the United States, as well as Canada. How can one possibly put a price on something that can't truly be owned by anyone and is its own autonomous entity. Even if people have the illusion that they can occupy land as territory (because of treaties, as an example) does not mean that it is ever their to keep. LaDuke makes several strong examples of this in the book. We can't continue to pollute, abuse and neglect land without paying a price environmentally or in terms of human quality of life and mortaiity. I believe everyone should read this book, regardless of occupation, national origin or territorial location. We need to face the damage done before more of it goes unacknowledged. Thank you, Winonah.

Winona Laduke ran as vice president alongside Ralph Nader. It would be truly amazing if this woman had become our vice president (for many reasons). It is my hope that some day she will be our vice president (or president). Her views on the environment and its effect upon animals and people (particularly babies, children and pregnant/nursing mothers) are exactly how I feel. She expresses these views eloquently in these quotes by Lil'wat grandmother Loretta Pascal, "Where did you get your right to destroy these forests? How does your right supercede my rights? These are our forests, these are our ancestors."(p.5), by Ted Strong, "If this nation has a long way to go before all of our people are truly created equally without regard to race, religion, or national origin, it has even further to go before achieving anything that remotely resembles equal treatment for other creatures who called this land home before humans ever set foot upon it...."(p.5), and by Katsi Cook, "Why is it we must change our lives, our way of life, to accommodate the corporations, and they are allowed to continue without changing any of their behavior?"(p.12). Reading this book you will feel sorrow, and be inspired to action. Most of what was said in this book I already knew a little about, but through this book I understood the depth and complexity of all the factors. I can not recommend this book enough. She tells the truth of our world with a powerful clarity. She tells the stories of many Native American Tribes throughout North America (Canada and the United States, including a chapter on Hawaii). She ends the book with the optimism that it is possible for us to make change, but it is up to us.

To think this woman could be our Vice President today. Most people don't even know that Winona LaDuke ran for Vice President on Ralph Nader's ticket. An articulate and passionate writer, LaDuke presents an awareness of the plight of America unsurpassed by any other. She knows what's wrong. She knows what needs to be done. She knows who is doing the work, how and why. She presents her advocacy as human, heartfelt and real. I learned things about what is happening to this country that I would never have known otherwise. You certainly don't see it in the news, and you don't learn about it in school. We're in trouble, folks, and it's not too late to do something about it. With more power she could have made such a difference! But she continues to work on the issues, and it is so important that more people are aware of her work. Please, please, please read this book. It is the most important book you will read all year.